theoryofleadership-blog

[theoryofleadership-blog]

My Leadership Portfolio and Philosophy

Before this course, I never really considered myself to be a leader. Well, what I mean to say is that I was more of a silent leader than anything. I was never one to voice my opinion, usually let others take the wheel while I sat in the passenger seat. I would voice my opinion or ideas if someone asked me for them directly. I’m usually pretty outgoing but, when it comes to being a leader, it’s like I was almost shy about that. But, this class has helped me and developed me as a leader and I have learned that I possess certain traits and qualities that I did not know I had.

I’ve discovered that to be a leader, you need to have courage, patience, and a vision, like most of the leaders we have studied and talked about in this class. Now I know that I’m not Gandhi or MLK but, I do know that I am able to be a leader, like they were. Each leader we studied had a vision and I think that is one of the most key qualities that a leader can have. Personally for me, I’d like to be a leader that my followers can come to. My vision is that I want my followers to find my arms welcoming. I want to inspire them to be greater than they were the day before and to actually make something of themselves. I also want them to find leadership within themselves and realize that their voice and their vision matters.

One thing I know that I don’t want to do as a leader is to be the kind of leader that one of my former bosses was. She wasn’t very much of a guide, she wanted you to do your own thing yet, when you didn’t do it like she wanted, she got mad. She never made it clear what her vision was or what she wanted therefore, it was hard to figure it out. She was uptight and I felt like I wasn’t allowed to be myself around her. I don’t want any of the people that I work with to ever feel that way.

Because I don’t want any of my followers to feel that way about themselves or about me, I have grown to better understand leadership. Sometimes leadership isn’t just about being top dog and making all of the decisions. Sometimes to be a leader, one must be a follower. Being in the shoes of your followers can help you better understand them and it can help you understand how to guide them on certain paths. I think some of my most favorite leaders are transformational leaders. Leaders such as MLK and the Minimalists proved to be very interesting. They each wanted to bring about change and to start a movement. Whether it was the Civil Rights Movement or just de-cluttering your closet, each was a movement and brought about change. I found these leaders to be inspiring.

Their transformational skills have led me to mine. Like I stated before, I work with the Big Fluffy Dog Rescue to help abandoned animals find forever homes. This course has shown me that in doing this, I too am a transformational leader. I am working to bring about a change in society to show that animals from shelters deserve the same amount of love that those from pet stores do. I am also saving lives, which is you ask me, is definitely some kind of change.

So far, I have really enjoyed the process of becoming a leader. In some ways I already was one, I just hadn’t realized it yet. Kind of like the Leadership and Photography blog/case study. I had never realized that something so simple was able to possess leadership. This class has made me more away of my characteristics and qualities that I had already had, I just wasn’t using them. I hope to continue with my leadership style, to keep bringing about a change. I have started a writing blog for people who need a safe place to go and hopefully I can thrive with that. That kind of leadership and responsibility that I put into that blog is what I hope to continue doing with my journey as a leader.

“The point is not to become a leader.  The point is to become yourself, and to use yourself completely – all your gifts, skills and energies – to make your vision manifest.  You must withhold nothing.  You must, in sum, become the person you started out to be, and to enjoy the process of becoming.” - Warren Bennis

[theoryofleadership-blog]

Photography and Leadership

Before this course, if you were to tell me that photography and leadership somehow correlated, I wouldn’t have believed you. But, then again, that was before this course. I’ve learned that there are many places where one can find leadership’s presence. After doing this case study I came to the realization that leadership can be found within things such as art, whether it’s paintings, sculptures, even pictures, leadership is present. 

This case study required me to start taking pictures and trying to find the leadership that it portrayed. Oddly, I enjoyed this case study. Mainly because I like to take pictures but because I was able to dive deeper into the pictures and find their meanings. In this case study I have a collection of three different types of pictures that I think can reflect on leadership.

Focusing on One Thing at a Time 

The first picture I have is one of my dog. First of all, yes he is very cute. And of course I just had to take a picture of him but, it wasn’t until after I took the picture that I realized what I had just captured. Within the picture of my dog Tripp, I had captured leadership. Sometimes, leaders become overwhelmed with the future and reaching their goals that they forget to focus on just one thing at a time. I think that leaders tend to forget that they have one goal in mind and that sometimes they get lost because they don’t focus on it. Like Michaelangelo said “I had a vision of David and I simply carved away everything that didn’t look like my vision.” In this case study, Tripp can be my David. I zoomed in on his face to show that he is the vision. He is the one thing that I want to focus on and I think that this is something that leaders do. 

Making Changes

The second set of pictures are pictures of the sunset. I am a very big fan of sunsets. In this, I realized something about leadership. Leadership is a beautiful thing, just like sunsets. To watch the way that leaders are able to work with others and reach their goals is a beautiful thing, kind of like how the sky painting all these colors for a sunset is a beautiful thing. Another thing I realized is that sometimes, things don’t always work and as a leader, you have to find new ways and ideas to make your goal. In my first picture it is the sunset, without any edits. The second picture has an edit and I find the second picture a little better. I enjoyed it more. This is where leadership is present. A leader has to adapt and make changes and that’s what I did with my photos.

The Steps to Reach the Goal

The last set of pictures I have are ones I took while on a hike. These pictures very much represent leadership and what it means to be on a journey. A leader must first, look at how far they need to go. They must see their goal in mind. Then along the way, they can sometimes make stops and take breaks, only to see how far they have come. Looking back on all that you have accomplished can help you accomplish even more. And finally, once you’re at the top, once you reach your goal, take a step back. Enjoy and take in what you have accomplished. I think that is something leaders must remember to do. To enjoy the dream that they have accomplished. 

[theoryofleadership-blog]

Participate and Observe Project

For almost four years now, my family and I have been working with animal shelters and rescue societies to help dogs in need find forever homes. I never really thought much about the leadership styles that are present and take place in this kind of volunteer work but, after taking this course I began to notice how much of an impact us volunteers were having, not only on the dogs but, on the people getting the dogs as well and the kind of leadership we each possessed. I began not to just foster the dogs but, to watch the foster families and pay attention to how they worked with these rescued dogs. After much watching and doing, I realized that I and each person that helps rescue dogs are servant, situational, and transformational leaders.

My family and I work for the Big Fluffy Dog Rescue and it has foster families all around the world, in multiple states. To be a foster it takes a lot of time and patience and care. You are working with dogs who usually have been abandoned, abused, and are unable to trust people. Most, if not all of the families that volunteer for this rescue society are doing this out of the good of their heart. They welcome their arms and homes to these dogs and they care for them until they find a forever home, kind of like servant leadership. Servant leadership is defined as "a philosophy and set of practices that enriches the lives of individuals, builds better organizations and ultimately creates a more just and caring world.” First off, servant leaders help to enrich the lives of others. As a foster family, you are not only enriching the life of this rescue animal but, the life of the family that will soon take the dog in. Rescue workers are enriching the lives of dogs and people because they are making it so much better. Helping a dog find a new home after being abandoned by its previous one is so rewarding and powerful to watch. You’re giving this dog a second chance. And it’s wonderful to see the reactions of the new owners, because sometimes, they too are getting a second chance.

Like I stated before, some dogs have a hard time trusting people which makes them very skiddish and nervous around you. This is where I think situational leadership comes into play. Once, my family was fostering a Great Pyr/Wolf mix named Duke. He was a little young still but, he had an old soul. He had been abused and abandoned, more than once. He had a temper but, most dogs who had gone through an experience like that did. He soon took a strong liking to my mother, he ultimately became her guardian, her protector. He would lash out at anything that tried to hurt her, or came at her too fast. He was by her side all the time (except for when she went to work). My family and I had to adapt to this. We had to adapt to the character traits of Duke and learn how to still take care of him while he was taking care of my mother. Duke is just one of the many dogs that foster families have to adapt to. Foster families have to change their lifestyle and their schedule for these dogs. Sometimes it takes a while for a dog to come around and the family has to be patient with that. They have to understand that the dog will warm up to them when they feel like they can trust them. Being a foster is hard work but, if you learn to adapt with each dog that comes to you, it’s worth it.

Lastly, foster families and rescue societies are transformational leaders. I think a big part of all of this is that we are getting people to see that dogs from shelters and rescues deserve the same amount of love as those that are from breeders or stores. This change has spread, more people are starting to adopt and not shop. People are becoming foster families. They’re becoming the second chance that these dogs need. Working with these dogs takes courage and strength, something that every transformational leader has to have. A transfomational leader wants to bring about change in individuals and societies and I think that’s what we, as foster families are doing. We are bringing about a change, for the dogs and the people.

After this project and noticing how much of an impact that we have on others, I highly recommend that you look into becoming a foster, who knows, maybe you’ll find your perfect match like I did! Because if there is one thing I know, you can’t buy love but, you can rescue it.

[theoryofleadership-blog]

Minimalism and The Minimalists

What is Minimalism? In short, it is living a life with only things that are meaningful to you. Living with just the things you need and nothing more. Getting rid of all the excess wants and keying in on what really matters. Like relationships, family, etc. It’s about finding what makes you happy and holding onto that.

The Minimalists have become empowering, successful leaders, especially to newer generations. Their leadership style can be defined as transformational. This means that there is a desire to bring about change. There is a vision for the future and what it has to offer. They encourage others to join them in their journey. They help guide others in the steps to take to accomplish their goal of becoming a minimalist. Teaching them to take out the unnecessary objects that their life consists of and helping them figure out what it is that they hold dear to their hearts, what they truly need. Not only are they transformational leaders, they are also authentic leaders. They genuinely care for those who follow them. How? They are on this journey with them. They found that being a minimalist brought joy to their lives and they felt that others should have this joy. Therefore, the minimalists started a blog, a website, a podcast, etc and shared their story and invited others to join them on the process. They are real. They are authentic. The minimalists can also be described as servant leaders. They have already accomplished the idea of what it means to be a minimalist, so they have already accomplished their goal. Yet, they are still preaching it, they are technically, serving their followers. They continue to show how to be a minimalist in order to help their followers. So, in a way, they are serving them. They became so successful by how they practiced. It became simple to these men with what they needed to do in order for their followers to trust them and follow them along the way. The one thing they do is communicate with their followers, especially through social media. They have blogs, websites, books, videos, and podcasts that allow their minimalists followers to “follow.” I think in order to be a great leader, one must really believe in what they are saying. Practice what they preach. And that is something the minimalists do, clearly. They are leading others to being minimalists, while they too are living a life of minimalism, which is very powerful. 

The minimalists were influenced by a few key things. To start off with, they wanted to find a deeper meaning in life. They were two mid-thirty year old men, holding corporate jobs, living in a nice house in a nice neighborhood. And they were still unhappy. So, they wanted to find something to make them happy, something that helped them find the meaning of their lives. Ultimately, they were unhappy and they needed to find a way to become happy. They discovered that being a minimalist, excluding all the excess that is a part of life did that for them. By getting rid of the things that they didn’t really need, it allowed them to key in and focus on what they loved. Things like family, faith, friendships. They left their jobs, moved out of their grand homes, and began to focus on what truly mattered. And by doing this, they realized that life was much better. They felt free, they felt happy, and they felt fulfilled. 

The minimalists have a certain process that they follow, such as guidelines that have been set. Their Principles of Minimalism are to make more room. Make more room for time, passion, experiences, growth, contribution, contentment, and freedom. By doing this, one is able to “find happiness.” You wouldn’t realize that all of the things you thought you needed to be happy, are actually the things that drain your happiness. 

[theoryofleadership-blog]

Sheryl Sandberg

Sheryl Sandberg is probably one of the most underrated businesswomen of all time and it’s probably because she is a woman. She is the now COO of the famous social media site called Facebook. She is an author, an activist, and a technology executive and yet, before this class, I knew nothing of her. 

I find it astonishing that because she is a woman, she is not talked about as one of the world’s great leaders. We as a society today do not give women enough credit for what all they have accomplished, women like Sheryl Sandberg. In one of her TedTalks, Sandberg discusses the huge gap in the workforce between men and women and how it is not only sexist but, completely unfair to women in general. Sandberg discusses how women have a lower pay, how barely any women are at the top of a business, etc. It took great courage for Sandberg to stand amongst a crowd and talk about the growing issue in the workforce. 

Sandberg can be seen as a transformational leader, especially with her TedTalk. She is trying to make a change in the workforce and she discusses the issues and how they can be resolved, even with just one person. Sandberg is bringing about change in the workforce, especially for women and I can’t wait to see the kind of changes she brings about. 

[theoryofleadership-blog]

Gandhi

Mohandas Gandhi was one of the world’s most influential leaders. What was so remarkable about Gandhi was that aside from being a powerful leader, he was a leader who believed in non-violence. Every war fought, every war won, was won without violence. Gandhi’s fighting was considered to be “passive resistant.”

When Parliament passed the Rowlatt Acts, Gandhi launched his campaign of passive resistance, leading to a worldwide following and incredible movement. Because of his non-violent campaign, Gandhi very much stressed that the economic independence for India was highly important. He created an ascetic lifestyle, consisting of prayer, fasting, and meditation. This lifestyle proved to Gandhi’s followers that he was true to his words. His followers soon began to call him The Great Souled One, otherwise known as Mahatma.

Gandhi’s leadership style can be determined as servant and transformational. According to the Leadership Theory and Practice book, “Gandhi raised the hopes and demands of millions of his people, and, in the process, was changed himself.” And that is what I find so astonishing of Gandhi. That although he was a leader who was making changes for his people, he too was able to change, showing that he is also a human, which allowed his followers to relate to him. 

[theoryofleadership-blog]

Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr. was a man of many words, strengths, and dreams. For nearly 20 years he was the face of a revolution. He spent his time marching, advocating, and fighting for American Civil Rights.

Martin Luther King Jr. was making a change. He was a visionary, his dreams, strength, and words inspired others to follow him on his march to freedom. He was charismatic, he had charm that drew others towards him. He was trustworthy, people believed what he said. He made others feel like they too had a voice and that they were not just a face in a crowd. One of his greatest attributes was his strength. King was imprisoned multiple times, he was stabbed, his house was bombed, and he and his family faced multiple attacks. Yet, somehow King kept marching, he kept advocating, he kept fighting. Because of this strength and his desire to make a change, he became so impactful, so powerful. This led him to become one of the greatest leaders that the world has seen today. He showed his followers that he was willing to put his life on the line for not only the cause but, them as well. And that is definitely something that you want to see in a leader.

One of his most famous speeches was his “I Have A Dream” speech, which was actually given on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. It was here that King calls for an end to racism and demands civil and economic rights. King’s faith and strength never faltered, even on the day of his assassination on April 4, 1968.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.“ - Martin Luther King Jr.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Have_a_Dream

https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/martin_luther_king_jr.html

[theoryofleadership-blog]

Your Mind Is Your Deadliest Weapon

Sun Tzu was a very forceful and impactful man and leader. Yet, what is ironic is that Sun Tzu was never one to use force unless it really came down to it, as a last resort. Although he never used force as his first tactic of self defense, his methods were brutal. What was so incredible about him was that he was able to use his mind as his greatest weapon, something that most leaders forget to do. 

Sun Tzu can be described as one of the most resourceful, imaginative, and open minded leaders and warrior. He used his mind as his deadliest weapon and boy did it work. Like his quote says, Sun Tzu believed that “every battle is won before it is fought.” He felt that it is best to go into battle knowing your enemy almost as much as you know yourself. By knowing your enemy, you know what makes them tick, you know their strengths and weaknesses, and you know how to use those against them to benefit yourself and help you win the battle. Sun Tzu believed in unsettling the enemy psychologically. Instead of having to destroy or fight his enemy, he let them ruin themselves and then attacked when they were weak and falling apart. Instead of actually harming his enemy, he harms their morals, their minds, and lets them defeat themselves.

To Sun Tzu winning was everything, like most leaders but unlike most leaders he had different tactics and different strategies. Sun Tzu knew his enemies more than his enemies knew themselves. He believed that force shouldn’t be overused, instead that great leaders used their minds the most. Another famous quote by Sun Tzu was “If you are far from the enemy, make him believe you are near.” Sun Tzu believed in misdirection and deception. Making your enemy believe you are closing in on them causes them to freak out and make mistakes, which only works to your advantage. Being a great leader, I think many of us should follow Sun Tzu’s tactics by using our minds as our greatest weapons, like he says “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the results of a hundred battles.”

[theoryofleadership-blog]

Leading With Humility and Grace: Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa was a woman of all ages, one with many incredible traits, and a heart as wide as the Texas skies. As stated in Habitudes, “Humility is magnetic in a leader,” and if there’s anyone with humility, it’s Mother Teresa. Although it is very clear and obvious that Mother Teresa had many followers and entire populations were drawn to her and her character, one thing is overlooked, her humility and grace. Mother Teresa once said “How can I serve the poor effectively unless I understand what they experience each day?” It is because of this quote, these words, and this humbleness that remained constant within her, that gave her so many followers. 

According to the Habitudes book, Mother Teresa became so well liked because of the Calcutta Paradox. The Calcutta Paradox meant that being humble and kind gave her attention and followers. Mother Teresa became such an important and magnetic leader because she led with her heart and her humbleness. People were drawn to her because of her humility, according to the Calcutta Paradox. A certain quote about Mother Teresa describes her perfectly, “she led but she never called attention to herself.” Mother Teresa had the kind of leadership described in the book by Peter G. Northouse, “Leadership: Theory and Practice,” authentic leadership. Authentic leadership is focused on whether leadership is genuine and “real,” meaning that one must lead with a kind heart and expect nothing in return. Just be a genuinely decent person and others will follow. This authentic leadership is what Mother Teresa had and it is something that many leaders should have, considering that with more humility comes more followers. 

I believe that in order for anyone to lead successfully, they must find the “Mother Teresa” within themselves and allow her to lead them. I think that in order to understand the kind of help people need then it is crucial to understand where they are coming from and their situation and the best way to handle and help the situation. And of course, every leader must remain humble. No one wants to follow someone who thinks too highly of themselves that they forget to see the bigger picture and the goal that must be reached. No one wants a leader who only thinks of themselves, what good would that do? Therefore, like the books says, the greatest leaders have the greatest humility and that is something that every leader should remember. 

Dr. Elmore, Tim. Habitudes. Images That Form Leadership Habits & Attitudes. Growing Leaders Inc. 2006. 

Northouse, Peter G. Leadership: Theory and Practice. Sage Publications. 2016.